Ray Allen Executive Director (361)885-6204
[email protected] www.cbbep.org CBBEP History • 1987 – U.S. Congress established the National Estuary Program (NEP) to promote long- term planning and management of nationally significant estuaries • 1994 - CBBEP was officially established as one of 28 estuaries of “National Significance” • 1998 - Coastal Bend Bays Plan formally approved by Tx Governor George Bush • 1999 – Plan approved by the U.S. EPA • 1999 – Program become non-profit org The Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program • Local 501(c)(3) established in 1999 • Mission – the implementation of the Coastal Bend Bays Plan • Non-regulatory, voluntary partnership effort - work with industry, environmental groups, bay users, local governments, and resource managers • Support continued economic growth and use of the bays 12 Counties in the Texas Coastal Bend • 75 miles of estuaries along south- central coastline • 12 counties encompass 11,500 square miles of land • 515 square miles of bays, estuaries and bayous • 3 of the 7 major estuaries in Texas: Aransas Bay, Corpus Christi Bay, and Upper Laguna Madre Key Funding Partners = Owners • $600,000 - US EPA • $850,000 - Texas Commission on Environmental Quality • $75,000 - Port of Corpus Christi (plus office space and utilities) • $75,000 - City of Corpus Christi • $75,000 - Port Industries of CC • $30,000 – San Patricio County • $5,000 – City of Aransas Pass • $5,000 – City of Ingleside • $5,000 - City of Portland • $5,000 – City of Port Aransas • A Community Developed Plan • Commitment by the Partners (Owners) • A Strategy to Leverage Base Funding and to Pursue other Opportunities CBBEP Board of Directors Mr.